Tuesday, April 5, 2011

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from states, tribes, regional governments, and communities that are interested in the development of renewable energy on current and formerly contaminated properties. The opportunity is offered through EPA’s RE-Powering America’s Land initiative, which takes a multi-pronged approach to site cleanup and development of renewable energy production facilities on potentially contaminated land. Potentially contaminated lands that are being considered include Superfund, brownfields, RCRA corrective action, and former landfill or mining sites.

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory will conduct renewable energy feasibility studies for the selected sites to determine the best renewable energy technology for the site, the optimal location for placement of the renewable energy technology, potential energy generating capacity, the return on the investment, and the economic feasibility of the renewable energy projects.

Through this initiative, potentially contaminated sites will be reused and redeveloped to increase renewable power generation, while also improving communities, creating jobs, and decreasing the use of greenspace necessary for renewable power plants. Proposals are due to EPA by May 20.